On Saturday, March 15, 2014, I visited the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The gallery #753, which is a part of so-called American Wing, features oil paintings of the revolutionary period in America. The paintings seen in this gallery celebrate heroes and hard-fought battles of the new nation. The most popular type of painting of that time remained portraiture. Portraits in extremely large numbers figured in interiors, where they were arranged to convey not only domestic, but political messages as well. Hence, it is natural, that such iconic figure like George Washington became a model for numerous artists of that era, including Gilbert Stuart and Charles Willson Peale, for whom Washington actually sat. Two exceptional portraits of Washington, the general and the the first President of the United States are highlighted in this paper.
Charles Willson Peale was an artist, inventor, scientist and writer and a great friend of George Washington. During the revolutionary war, he participated in the battles at Trenton and Princeton and was made a captain (Luhrs 116). In 1779, since the war was almost ended, Peale was commissioned to paint a full-length portrait of George Washington for he meeting room of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (Barratt 25). The elegant and informal image portrayed the general at the site of his triumph. The tall confident figure of Washington stands in a relaxed position with one hand resting on a cannon, which symbollizes the victory that is being celebrated, as do the captured Hessian flags that lie at his feet.
The painting was so popular, that he made its numerous versions with sightliest differences. The version presented in Metropolitan Museum, descended through the famil...
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...duced his sitters into conversation, so he could record not only sitter's appearance, but his personality. However, he struggled to engage the president, who apparently hated to sit for his portrait (McLanathan 83). The artist was not entirely satisfied with the picture, that he felt could not convey "the expression he knew must accord with such features and such a man" (McLanathan 83). Though the many, including the president's old friends, found it a compelling likeness (McLanathan 84). This project brought Gilbert Stuart international fame. He executed at least seventy replicas of the portrait and many other artists were able to use it as the basis for their work (McLanathan 85). At that time portraits were painted to celebrate national achievements and public heroes, and so Stuart satisfied the need of the new nation for lasting images of early national leaders.
Two of the most extensively analyzed works of art are Diego Velasquez's Las Meninas and Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Double Portrait. Both of these artist's talent won them recognition not only during their lifetime but after as well. Both Velasquez and Van Eyck have a justly earned title as the most talented artists of their respective times. A detailed examination of the details and intricacies of these artist's respective masterpieces, their similarities, and what sets them apart not just from each other but from other paintings from their time period and style, will lead the viewer to a better understanding of the mentalities of these gifted artists and how they transcend their respective genres and contemporaries to create their own artistic identities.
The colors used in this painting are a combination of bright and dark, giving a sense of professionalism and unconventional feel to the ambassadors and their backdrop. Their clothing is brittle and complete. The composition of this painting is mainly “stuffed” into the center column of the image with the ambassadors substituting walls marking the end of the items in the composition as well as forming an area that our eyes are tensed
I chose to analyze the The Family, 1941 portray and The Family, 1975 portray, both from Romare Bearden, for this essay because they are very similar paintings but at the same time very different. To write a critical analyzes it was necessary to choose two different paintings that had similar characteristics. The text about critical comparison said that to compare things they have to be similar, yet different, and that’s what these paintings look to me. As I had already written an analysis of The Family, 1941 portray I chose to analyze and compare The Family, 1975 this time. Both works have a lot of color in it and through the people’s faces in the pictures we can feel the different emotions that the paintings are conveying.
Art has been the reflection, interpretation and representation of artists' beliefs and morals eternally. Various artists stand for different matters that quite possibly affect their lives, or might be of an interest to them. Norval Morrisseau is an artist that I was intrigued by his portrayal and the techniques used in his paintings. In this paper, we are going to look at the implementation of Morrisseau's painting style used to expose his philosophies of different aspects in his life.
Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous and well-documented artists of the twentieth century. Picasso, unlike most painters, is even more special because he did not confine himself to canvas, but also produced sculpture, poetry, and ceramics in profusion. Although much is known about this genius, there is still a lust after more knowledge concerning Picasso, his life and the creative forces that motivated him. This information can be obtained only through a careful study of the events that played out during his lifetime and the ways in which they manifested themselves in his creations (Penrose).
... study for the overall concept they appear rather as abstract patterns. The shadows of the figures were very carefully modeled. The light- dark contrasts of the shadows make them seem actually real. The spatial quality is only established through the relations between the sizes of the objects. The painting is not based on a geometrical, box like space. The perspective centre is on the right, despite the fact that the composition is laid in rows parallel to the picture frame. At the same time a paradoxical foreshortening from right to left is evident. The girl fishing with the orange dress and her mother are on the same level, that is, actually at equal distance. In its spatial contruction, the painting is also a successful construction, the groups of people sitting in the shade, and who should really be seen from above, are all shown directly from the side. The ideal eye level would actually be on different horizontal lines; first at head height of the standing figures, then of those seated. Seurats methods of combing observations which he collected over two years, corresponds, in its self invented techniques, to a modern lifelike painting rather than an academic history painting.
When he came back to America he became one of the most famous artist during this time period. He has painted over 1,100 portraits and some including the most famous people involved in the American Revolution. Peale moved to Philadelphia in his late adult hood and opened up a Museum, and then he died in February 22, 1827.
This painting, measuring about six-by-seven feet, is a massive work that draws viewers directly to it once they enter the room in which its displayed. It is not covered by any glass and is in a very well-lit area, thus it allows viewers to stand as close as possible to see the details of how Peter Paul Rubens handled his medium. Looking at the painting from a photograph is much different than viewing it up close and in person, because when looking at a photograph, one cannot see the texture of the paint that gives the painting its very delicate, unique, and realistic quality. The work appears to be in very good condition because most of the colors are still very rich and vibrant, such as Adonis’ red garment (Rubens). Although one cannot tell when directly viewing the piece, it has been said that previous use of radiographs for further analysis on the painting uncovered that initially, “Rubens gave A...
Drawing on recognizable conventions in portraiture, Washington is shown as a general and a statesman. Savage also establishes a new presedent by visualizing the first president in a patriarchal role. By placing him in the domestic context of his own home with his family surrounding him, Washington becomes the vision of fatherhood, despite not fathering any children of his own. By including this aspect of Washington’s identity in his work, Savage draws on the popular metaphor of Washington being the “Father of Our Nation,” a notion established before the nation in question even existed. Though his skill as a painter is lacking compared in this work compared to contemporaneous family portraits, this image had an extremely popular exhibition and an even more popular life as a print. Published at the end of Washington’s time as president, the work stands as a testament to the role Washington play in the early days of the United States while also commemorating his long awaited return to his private life at Mount
The painting called, “George Washington Crossing the Delaware” can be interpreted in many different ways. The main message this painting is showing is how the brave patriots crossed the Delaware. There are many other things that this painting also shows us. For example, in the back of the boat we see the patriots paddling and then in the front we see General Washington standing high and proud. We see him looking further down the sea. His strong posture shows us that General Washington is the leader and he is the one in charge. Also we see the patriots working hard. They seem to be in harsh conditions but they are still fighting on. This painting illustrates and shows how determined and fearless the patriots were.
This essay will also compare the work of Thomas Moran, another Hudson River School artist working with the same subject matter, and will attempt to clarify the artist’s similarities and differences in regard to both technique and contributions. The work of Winslow Homer, a contemporary of Church, will be briefly discussed in relation to the impact the Civil War had on subject matter in relationship to nati...
Harvey, Eleanor. The Civil War and American Art: A Ride for Liberty?. Eye Level: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 21 February 2013. Web. 30 October 2013.
The main influences perceptible in this painting are those of Millet, Delacroix, and the Impressio...
...laced on the style and materials presented in the painting. While evaluating and comparing various paintings the author feels that at the beginning of the Renaissance era the skill level of the artist was often not acknowledged whereas materials were, but at the end of the era, skill level played a larger factor in who was chosen to complete the artwork. Therefore, fresco painting, which emerged near the end of the period, changed this so called “deposit”, along with the relationship of the artist and the patron, allowing for the talent and skill of the artist to shine.
Clearly, the piece is not in its original form, nor was it even twenty years after completion. However, due to the concern, care, diligence, and expertise of many art lovers, there remains at least a remnant of da Vinci’s masterpiece to be studied and enjoyed by future scholars and visitor.